Amalgamator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. WILKINS.

AMALGAMATOR. I No. 336,970. Patented Mar; 2, 1886..

MT EH- .(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. J. WILKINS.

AMALYGAMATOR. .No. 336,970. Patented Mar. 2, 1886.,-

' WIT NEEEE 5 INVEN T13R- wwwd UNITED STATES ATENT truce.

JOSEPH WILKINS, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AMALGAMATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,970, dated March 2,1886, Application filed September 14, 1885. Serial No. 177,037. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WiLKINs, of the city of Baltimore and Stateof Maryland, have invented certain Improvements inAmalgamators, of whichthe following is a specification.

In the drawings, forming a part hereof, Figure I is a side elevation ofthe improved amalgamator. Fig. II "is a plan of Fig. I. Fig. III is asection of Fig. II, taken on the dotted line w a:. Fig. IV is a crosssect-ion of Fig. III, taken on the dotted lineyy. Fig. V is an underside view of a part of the invention.

A is astationary mercury-holding vessel, preferably cylindrical in shapeand made of' iron, so as to not amalgamate with the mercury containedtherein. This vessel is secured to a suitable foundation, B, which mayconsist of timbers a, as shown; or it can be fastened in a wooden orother box, so that the material discharged from it is caught.

0 is an inner iron cylinder, connected to the outer one by means ofrollers b, which rest on a rim, 0, on the upper edge of the vessel A.These rollers have flanges b',which are in contact with the inner sideof the vessel A, and serve to keep the inner vessel, 0, centrally of theone A. By this means of connection the inner vessel, 0, is free torotate, or to be rotated, through the agency of mechanism hereinafterdescribed.

In supporting the inner cylinder from th outer one by means of rollerswhich are entirely above the surface of the mercury, as shown, I avoidfiouring the mercury or separating the same into small globules, as isinvariably the case where it is admitted to the frictional surfaces ofan immersed shaft and step.

By reference to Fig. III it will be seen that the inner vessel, 0,extends to near the bottom of the one A, and is somewhat smaller,

than it in diameter. denoted by d.

D D are radial wings on the bottom of the inner vessel, 0, (see Fig. V,)which is an under side View of the said vessel, which, as the saidvessel is partially rotated, served as mixers to thoroughly incorporatethe ore with The body of mercury is the mercury when the former is fedto the latter, as hereinafter set forth.

The inner vessel, 0, has partially rotative movement, which is effectedby means of a crank, E, driven by gears F and G from a shaft, H, and aconnecting-rod,1, uniting the said crank with an arm, 6, projecting fromthe side of the vessel 0.

J is a pipe extending from the bottom of the vessel 0, where it is opento a point above the edge of the said vessel, provided with afunnel-shaped hopper, K. A portion of the pipe J within the hopper K isslotted, (see Figs. III and IV,) the slots being denoted byf.

L is a piston adapted to have a vertical reciprocating movement in thepipe J. This piston has a rod, g, which connects it with a source ofmovement, which may consist of a crank or other suitable device. (Notshown in the drawings.) The piston has a conical head, h, for purposeshereinafter described, and it is shown in its lowest position in Fig.III. The piston, in its upward stroke, passes to near the top of theslotsf, and the stroke of the piston is of such length that in itsupward movement it passes above the slotsf.

The hopper being supplied with pulverized ore, and the machine placed inoperation, at each stroke of thepiston ore passes from the hopperthrough the slotsf to under the piston, and is forced by it through thepipe J to the body of mercury through which it rises to the surface.

After the annular space between the inner and outer vessels, and abovethe mercury, is filled, the ore is discharged over the edge of the outervessel.

In the treatment of silver, molten lead is substituted for the mercury,and the vessels kept at a proper temperature by the outward applicationof heat.

I do not claim, broadly, in an amalgamator one vessel supported withinanother by means of rollers and adapted for rotation, as such an.arrangement is not new; but

IVhat I do claim is- The amalgamator herein described, which consists ofthe outer vessel, A, the inner vessel, G, having the central pipe, J,and feedsubstantially as and for the purpose speciing piston L, the saidinner vessel being fied. supported from and maintained centrally of theouter one by means of the rollers b, with WILKINS 5 their flanges b, thearm e, rigidly secured to Witnesses:

the vessel 0, connecting rod I, and the ro- CHAS. W. ARNOLD,

tative crank E, all arranged and combined D-ANL.

